Mentone in Kingston, Victoria, Australia — Oceania
Mentone Railway Station
| — | Mentone Historical Walking Trail | — |
Photographed by Dean Barton-Ancliffe, September 19, 2026
1. Mentone Railway Station Marker
Mentone emerged during the prosperous land boom of the 1880s.
Developer, Sir Matthew Davies, envisaged the town as a stylish new Riviera. Embracing Mediterranean themes, the concept unfolded with Italian street names and extravagant buildings.
Featuring a prestigious racecourse, hot sea baths and beaches, Mentone became a desirable holiday destination.
The railway line was first extended to Mentone in 1881. At the time, it was known as Balcombe Road Station. In 1914, a devastating fire destroyed the platform structures located on Como Parade. It was replaced by this simple but attractive weatherboard building. Featuring simply adorned gable-style roofing and decorative timber trim, it is a well-preserved example of an Edwardian station.
The gardens date back to 1910 and include a stunning Norfolk Island Pine, Peppercorn and Palm trees. In 1990 a commemorative horse trough was relocated to the gardens in honour of 'Garryowen', the champion race horse, and his courageous owners who attempted to rescue him from a burning stable.
Erected by City
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Railroads & Streetcars • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1880.
Location. 37° 58.921′ S, 145° 3.902′ E. Marker is in Mentone, Victoria, in Kingston. It is on Como Parade West 0.1 kilometers south of Balcombe Road (Victoria Route 10), on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1A Como Parade West, Mentone VIC 3194, Australia. Touch for directions.
Regionally, it is in Oceania, in Australasia, in the Pacific Ocean, in South Pacific, on the Pacific Rim, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Murrell Memorial Horse Trough (a few steps from this marker); Mentone Railway Station and Gardens (a few steps from this marker); Garryowen (a few steps from this marker); Tom Roberts (approx. 3.3 kilometers away); Ricketts Point (approx. 3.3 kilometers
Photographed by Dean Barton-Ancliffe, September 19, 2026
2. Old Mentone Railway Station Building and Marker
Also see . . . The Mentone Station Story. Kingston Local History
The railway created Mentone. When the Victorian Colonial Government built a single track spur line from Caulfield to Mordialloc in 1881 it decided to put a platform next to Balcombe Road, at that time a track leading off the main road that had been used by Alexander Balcombe to access his cattle pastures. Suddenly there was another, and better, access to this area, the steel rails that brought the steam trains. A clever land dealer and also a member of parliament, Matthew Davies, saw the potential of this area around ‘Balcombe Road’, Mentone Station’s first name. In the early 1880s Balcombe’s estate was on the market and Davies bought a whole section of the present Mentone suburb and planned a new town, a seaside resort where land could be sold to affluent Melbourne residents and greedy investors, who tried to convince people that this town, named after Menton on the Cote d’Azur, was a new Riviera. The new town grew quickly during the 1880s with many impressive buildings appearing, not the least being the Mentone Coffee Palace (now Kilbreda) right next to the railway. The dreams of Davies and other land developers were shattered by the depression of the 1890s and Mentone’s boom days gave way to the much slower development of a pleasant bayside town. But the railway remained. The ‘Balcombe Road’ name for the station had been changed to ‘Mentone’ in 1884 and it assumed a central position in the town’s life, geographically and commercially.(Submitted on October 24, 2026, by Dean Barton-Ancliffe of Rowville, Victoria.)
Credits. This page was last revised on October 24, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 24, 2026, by Dean Barton-Ancliffe of Rowville, Victoria. This page has been viewed 14 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 24, 2026, by Dean Barton-Ancliffe of Rowville, Victoria. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
